Chapter 96 Liza #2
Footsteps echoed behind me, but fear lent me speed, and I refused to give up. I would escape this place no matter what it took. “Fuck you.”
As I turned the corner, I skidded to a stop. A massive, burly guard, with his arms crossed beneath his broad chest, and a menacing scowl etched on his face, stood in the corridor. His imposing figure blocked my path. I wasn’t going anywhere without a fight.
“Going somewhere?” he asked in a deep, gravelly voice. He did not sound amused.
“Get out of my way,” I snarled, trying to sound brave. If Ty were here, he’d fight for me. But I was alone—I had to be my own hero.
“Nice try, but you’re not going anywhere.” The guard took a step toward me, cracking his knuckles menacingly.
“Watch me.” I tensed my muscles, preparing for the fight of my life.
He lunged with surprising speed for someone of his size, but I was quicker.
Ducking under his outstretched arm, I tried to slip past him.
However, he recovered rapidly, and he grabbed me by the waist before slamming me against the wall.
Pain exploded in my back, and I barely bit back a cry of agony.
I thrashed wildly in his grip. “Let go of me!”
The goon was too strong. His iron-like fingers dug into my neck, making it nearly impossible to breathe.
“Give it up, girl,” he growled in my ear, his breath hot against my skin. “You’re not getting out of here.”
My vision blurred. If I didn’t act fast, I’d pass out. With one last surge of strength, I slammed my elbow against the side of his head. He grunted in surprise and released me just long enough for me to slip from his grasp.
My victory was short-lived. Before I made it more than a few steps away, the guard tackled me, pinning me to the floor under his massive weight. My arms were trapped, and no matter how hard I struggled, I couldn’t break free.
“Enough,” he said. “You put up a good fight, but it’s over now.”
As he hauled me to my feet and dragged me down the hallway toward my prison, despair crept in. My escape attempt had failed. I was once again at the mercy of my captors.
The guard’s grip was unyielding, his face an emotionless mask as he shoved me into the room. I stumbled a couple of steps before regaining my balance and spinning around to glare at him just as the door slammed shut with a loud bang. The lock clicked into place, sealing me in my prison once more.
“Damn it.” I kicked the door in frustration. Pain shot up my leg, but it did nothing to quell the anger boiling inside me.
“I tried to warn you.”
“Fuck you.” I was right back where I’d started, locked in a room with no way out.
“I’m not surprised you tried to escape, but even if you managed to get out of this house, there’s only miles of forest waiting for you. You’d be lost in no time.”
“Thanks for the pep talk,” I said sarcastically. “Really helpful.” Despite my snarky response, I had a sinking feeling the voice was right. I’d never been good with directions, and the thought of wandering around aimlessly in the wilderness was almost as terrifying as being held captive.
Okay, a bit less terrifying.
“Your safest bet is to remain in the house,” he continued. Yeah, right. “At least here you have some chance of staying alive.”
“Alive, but still a prisoner.” I flung myself onto the bed and stared up at the ceiling.”
“Sometimes survival is all we can hope for,” he said softly. He sounded almost sad, as though he understood the gravity of my situation better than I did.
“Who are you?” I hissed. “Why won’t you help me?”
There was a long pause, and for a moment I thought he’d abandoned me. Then he spoke again, more hesitantly than before. “I can’t help you. Not yet, anyway. There are complications.”
“Complications?” I scoffed. “You’re just a fucking voice in my head. How complicated can it get?”
“More than you can imagine,” he said cryptically. “Believe me when I say that I’m doing everything I can to keep you safe.”
“You owe me an explanation. Why was I taken? Who are you people?”
“Everything will be explained in due time,” he said, his tone annoyingly serene. “For now, I need you to trust me.”
“Trust you?” Disbelief dripped from my every word. “That’s rich coming from the person holding me hostage.”
“Much is at stake,” he said with a hint of urgency. “I cannot reveal more until I’m certain it’s safe to do so. Please, try to understand.”
He went silent after that.
Good. I didn’t want to talk to him, anyway.
Hours passed as I prowled around the room. My stomach growled like an angry beast, reminding me of the hunger gnawing at my insides.
My body ached from the scuffle with the guard, and my thoughts ran wild as I tried to piece together how I’d ended up in this bizarre situation.
Without warning, the door swung open, revealing the terrifying guard from earlier. His massive frame filled the doorway, and he stared at me with a stern expression. I froze mid-step and glared back at him. What was he going to do?
“Your dinner.” He stepped into the room to place a tray of food on the table, then picked up the other one.
The mouthwatering aroma wafted through the air, causing my stomach to protest even louder. I eyed him warily, not daring to make a move toward the tray.
“Go ahead, eat.” He nodded toward the food. “Clean clothes are in the closet. You can use anything you find in the room.”
“Thanks, I guess,” I said, taken aback by his slightly more hospitable demeanor. Still, I didn’t trust him or anyone else in this place, and I certainly wasn’t about to try and escape again—not with him standing right there, anyway.
“Can you tell me why I’m here?” I asked cautiously.
His gaze locked onto mine, a hint of sympathy flickering in his otherwise cold eyes. “Can’t do that,” he said gruffly. “Not my place.”
“Whose place is it, then?” My anger flared. “I deserve to know why I’ve been taken from my home—from my family.”
“All your questions will be answered in due time. For now, take care of yourself. You’ll need your strength.”
I rubbed my arms and looked around.
“Tomorrow.” The guard’s deep voice resonated within the room, making me jump. “If you behave and do well tomorrow, you can leave this room.”
“Behave?” I gritted my teeth, trying to stay calm even though anger heated my blood. “What does that even mean?”
“Follow instructions,” he said matter-of-factly. “Eat. You’ll need your strength. It’s not poisoned.”
He turned and left, shutting the door with a heavy thud. I stared at the closed door, with fury and confusion raging inside me. What kind of game was this? Why had they brought me here?
“Answers in due time,” I muttered under my breath. “Not good enough.”
Despite my reservations, my stomach growled loudly, reminding me how hungry I was. Cautiously, I approached the tray. My nose caught the scent of perfectly seasoned chicken, roasted vegetables, and buttery mashed potatoes. The aroma was heavenly.
“Is it poisoned?” I asked, staring at the plate. The food looked amazing, but I couldn’t trust anything or anyone in this place.
I hesitated for a moment, weighing the risks, but I couldn’t bring myself to touch the food, no matter how good it looked and smelled.
Instead, I pushed the tray aside and scanned the room for something, anything, that could make me even the tiniest bit safer. My gaze landed on a pile of blankets in the corner.
“Better than nothing,” I said, grabbing a few and clutching them tightly.
The bathroom was my best option, being the most secure place in this unfamiliar prison because it locked from the inside. Grabbing the blankets and pillows from the bed, I shuffled into the bathroom and locked the door behind me with a resolute click.
“Ty, where are you?” I whispered as I sank down to the cold tile floor, my back pressed against the door. The thought of him out there, searching for me, gave me a small measure of comfort.
I wrapped myself in the blankets, shivering despite their warmth.
The hard floor beneath me and the chill of the tiles were nothing compared to the fear that tightened its grip on my heart.
As I lay there, I thought about my brothers.
Ever since we were kids, Mason and Michael had always been so protective of me.
If they knew what was happening, they’d tear the world apart to find me.
I forced my mind away from the terror before it could consume me. I’d faced worse than this. I’d get through this.
Sleep was fleeting and restless, filled with nightmares of shadowy figures, and cold, unforgiving eyes. It felt like mere minutes later when footsteps outside my door jolted me awake.
“Is someone there?” I called.
“Stay calm,” that familiar voice in my head said, spiking my fear even more. “You’re not alone.”
“Who are you?” Damn it. I wanted to see the person behind the voice. All I got in response was silence—a silence that stretched on for an eternity.
“Please.” Tears stung my eyes. “Tell me what’s going on.”
“Tomorrow,” the voice was, gentle but firm. “All will be revealed tomorrow.”
With a heavy heart and a resolve made of steel, I tried to sleep again. Tomorrow would be a new day. One thing was for sure—I would not back down. I would fight with everything I had to get back to Ty and my family, no matter the cost.